Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 154: The Conversation Between Rei and Coach Nakani

"Thank you for your support!"

When Takashima Rei decided to approach and strike up a conversation, Sano led the Akagi team to thank the audience at the edge of the field.

"Thank you so much!"

Clap, clap, clap!

"Good luck!"

"Sendo-san!"

"Go to Nationals!"

"Takada!"

"Wakana-chan!"

The loyal fans of Akagi Junior High showered their team with blessings.

Everyone seemed joyful—except for Sendo, who frowned slightly.

The gap in skill between the two teams was too large, and the Tokugawa pitcher had avoided directly challenging him.

This made the experience of the game frustrating for Sendo, who didn't particularly care for team baseball.

The only thing he enjoyed was the tactile sensation of the bat hitting the ball.

The combination of these factors left Sendo deeply unsatisfied with the match.

However, since they had won, he decided not to dwell on it.

But Coach Nakani, knowing Sendo's personality all too well, immediately sensed trouble.

Without hesitation, the coach pulled out a megaphone—not from his waistband but from his bag.

"Sendo! Don't overthink it! This game was just an accident! Enjoy the thrill of victory!"

Several sentences omitted—Coach Nakani was so flustered that all his words turned into incoherent ramblings.

The megaphone's volume drowned out all other sounds, startling the spectators.

Everyone turned their gaze toward the source of the noise—a certain tactless individual.

"Sendo—"

"Enough already, old man!" Sendo interrupted sharply, his tone free of malice but filled with exasperation.

"Uh..." Coach Nakani realized his mistake and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him.

With the commotion finally halted, Sendo ignored the coach and left the field with his teammates, who were stifling their laughter.

Coach Nakani awkwardly smiled at the remaining spectators and muttered to himself, Good thing no one here recognizes me.

The audience, reassured by his polite smile, began leaving in an orderly fashion.

Since the next match wouldn't start until the afternoon, most of the crowd departed for lunch, leaving only Coach Nakani and Takashima Rei.

Unbeknownst to him, Takashima Rei was walking toward him.

Sigh. "I really blew it. What on earth was I even saying?" Coach Nakani muttered as he slumped onto a nearby bench.

"Excuse me! Are you Coach Nakani from the Wildcats Little League?" Takashima Rei's voice broke his reverie.

"Huh?" Coach Nakani turned abruptly, realizing someone was speaking to him from behind.

Oh no! Someone recognizes me! Here? In a small town like this? My reputation… ruined! he thought frantically while adjusting his expression.

"Yes, that's me. And you are?" Coach Nakani responded, now composed.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Takashima Rei, vice captain of the Seidou High School baseball team," she said, bowing slightly out of respect.

After all, the man before her was a seasoned veteran with an impeccable reputation.

Even prominent coaches like Kataoka and Kunitomo from Inashiro would show him respect. Back in his prime, only legendary figures like Coach Sakaki would have dared speak casually with him.

"I see," Coach Nakani murmured, understanding why she had recognized him so easily.

Though he hadn't tried to disguise himself, his casual attire and hat should have made him unrecognizable to most.

Even those who'd seen him on TV might hesitate to identify him.

The idea that someone so famous would show up at a local middle school game seemed absurd.

But then, this was Seidou—a school his old friend used to coach at.

Recently, that friend had been pestering him for footage of Sendo, even tailing the player like some obsessive stalker.

Speaking of that old guy… Coach Nakani thought, recalling his former colleague.

"Is there something you need? Or did you just want to say hello to an old man like me?" Despite referring to himself as an "old man," Coach Nakani wasn't even 60 yet.

"Well, it's partly to greet you, but I was also curious about your remarks to Sendo earlier," Takashima Rei admitted.

"Ah, I see. You're trying to recruit him for Seidou, aren't you?" Coach Nakani quickly surmised her intentions.

"Yes, that's correct. But after today's game, I'm also interested in Akagi's ace pitcher. I plan to observe Sawamura-kun for one more game before making a decision," she explained candidly.

"Oh?" Coach Nakani raised an eyebrow, now viewing Takashima Rei in a new light.

Through today's game, he had noticed Sawamura's mental fortitude, realizing he had underestimated the seemingly carefree boy.

Though he hadn't paid much attention to Sawamura before, it was clear that Takashima Rei was both bold and perceptive.

"I don't know that pitcher well. I've seen him a few times, but he's never pitched in front of me—only ever running drills. Since I don't know much about him, I can't offer advice. I've been quite busy, after all," Coach Nakani shared what little he knew, offering what insight he could.

"I see…" Takashima Rei nodded but froze for a moment upon hearing his casual mention of "seeing him often."

"Surprised? Why else would I be here watching a middle school regional game? I'm not a high school coach," he emphasized the word "middle school" with a sly grin.

In professional conversations like this, it was often unnecessary to spell things out. Takashima Rei quickly realized the reason for Coach Nakani's presence and his connection to Akagi's players.

"Forgive me for being direct, but how are you acquainted with Akagi's players? You seem very familiar with them," she asked, curiosity piqued.

"It can't be helped. Sendo is my disciple," Coach Nakani replied matter-of-factly.

"Eh?!" Even though she had suspected as much, Takashima Rei was still shocked to have her suspicions confirmed.

Coach Nakani's reputation was legendary, and his disciples from the Wildcats Little League were well-known talents. For him to personally call someone his disciple was unprecedented.

It spoke volumes about how highly he valued Sendo's talent. Someone like that should've been a nationwide sensation during his Wildcats days.

And yet, despite Sendo's raw talent, Takashima Rei had observed his batting to be surprisingly amateurish, relying entirely on instinct and physical ability.

Though many questions remained, one thing was clear: the bond between Coach Nakani and Sendo was either that of a master and disciple or a close familial connection.

Coach Nakani had always been kind and approachable to players from the Wildcats Little League, maintaining contact with them even after his retirement. This reputation made Takashima Rei even more puzzled by his remarks.

She was certain she had never heard the name Sendo Akira before, despite her extensive knowledge of promising talents.

"Could Sendo-kun have been injured as a child? Otherwise, with his abilities and your regard for him, it doesn't make sense for him to be completely unknown," Takashima speculated, attempting to rationalize the situation.

What she couldn't have imagined, even in her wildest dreams, was how extraordinary Sendo's talent truly was—his story was too legendary to be guessed.

"You're not wrong," Coach Nakani replied, shaking his head with a smile. "His rise was like a shooting star—brief yet brilliant."

He gestured for Takashima Rei to sit down, and she did so only after his invitation.

Takashima understood that learning about Sendo's past would be invaluable for recruiting him and fostering his development.

Moreover, Nakani's connection to Coach Sakaki made it unlikely for him to outright refuse her.

Besides, as Sendo's biggest fan, Coach Nakani took great pride in sharing stories about "his Sendo" with anyone who would listen, as if showing off a precious treasure.

"You wouldn't have known about him," Nakani began. "That kid was only with the Wildcats for a month. It was when he'd just started fourth grade, but since he was born in November, he was half a year younger than his peers. At that time, he was just a beginner."

He recounted how Sendo had joined the team for a short stint before moving away and losing touch with baseball.

It wasn't until his first year of middle school that Nakani learned Sendo had become a coach himself, and then last autumn, Sendo officially returned to baseball.

Though Nakani skipped over many key details—such as Sendo becoming the Wildcats' ace and cleanup hitter within two weeks—Takashima gained a better understanding of why such a powerful and enigmatic player had remained under the radar.

"That kid is a true bakemono. I can assure you of that," Nakani concluded, sensing Takashima's unspoken question about Sendo's potential.

"Thank you so much for sharing this with me," Takashima said, offering her business card.

"But whether he's willing to join Seidou... I can't guarantee that," Nakani added with a meaningful smile.

"Eh?" Takashima was startled, but before she could probe further, Nakani had already walked away.

She sighed, frustrated by his teasing nature but understanding that the situation wasn't entirely hopeless.

His final expression had hinted at some mischief, suggesting the real issue lay with Sendo himself.

Takashima's sharp intuition told her that Sendo's reluctance might not be about choosing another school but something more personal.

With Nakani's reputation, recommending Sendo to any prestigious school in the country would have been a breeze.

Yet, he hadn't done so, reinforcing Takashima's resolve to pursue him further.

Takashima reflected on Nakani's cryptic remarks as she prepared to leave. While she wasn't in a hurry—actions could wait until after the summer tournament—she couldn't ignore the challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, Nakani had only accepted Takashima's business card out of politeness, likely discarding it shortly after.

Although Seidou was an exceptional choice for a player like Sendo, even a perfect fit like Seidou faced hurdles.

Sendo had hinted at possibly leaving baseball altogether after this summer, opting instead for a normal high school life in Nagano.

Nakani wasn't keen on pressuring Sendo into baseball prematurely.

He believed that even if Sendo decided to pursue baseball in university, his physical abilities would still allow him to enter the professional leagues.

With the right opportunities, Nakani was confident he could guide Sendo to excel, potentially reaching the major leagues after a few jumps.

However, even if Sendo joined Seidou and played baseball, Nakani, as a self-proclaimed "Sendo Encyclopedia," doubted he'd agree to pitch.

Sendo disliked the demanding nature of the pitcher's role, preferring the pure joy of hitting—a feeling he considered irreplaceable.

Given this, Nakani didn't see much hope in Takashima's recruitment efforts, which is why he didn't bother keeping her contact information.

Still, Takashima wasn't one to give up easily. She had convinced both Miyuki and Chris to join Seidou, and she was confident she could find a way to sway Sendo—no matter how challenging the road ahead.

------------------

If you want to read 20 chapters advanced.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Shu_21